1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door lock for an all-glass installation which comprises a fixed glass side panel, whereby the door lock is attached to the all-glass door through a boring contained therein, and basically includes a dead bolt, a latch bolt and a follower. A lock strike box is attached to the glass side panel through a boring contained therein at the height of the door lock, the door lock being designed to include a first and a second lock casing as well as a first and a second lock strike box, which in each case only one of them comprises respectively is engaged by, the latch bolt respectively the dead bolt. In other words, the latch bolt corresponds to and is engaged with one of the first and second lock casing and one of the first and second lock strike box, while the dead bolt corresponds to and is engaged with the other one of the first and second lock casing and the other one of the first and second lock strike box.
2. Background Information
Door locks for all-glass doors are known in the art, which locks preferably comprise only one latch bolt to be blocked for example, through actuation of a key. In this case, the portion of the door lock that is actuated via a follower by means of a lever handle and comprises the latch bolt, is mounted on the all-glass door leaf, and the lock strike box provided at the fixed side panel comprises a strike plate for the latch bolt.
From German Patent No. 43 00 810 A1 and German Utility Model No. 76 34 506, door locks for all-glass installations are known which are equipped with only one closing mechanism in the form of a catch bolt or a dead bolt. With regard to current safety requirements, this simply behaving closing possibility is to be considered as non-satisfactory.
German Patent No. 44 00 196 C1 and German Utility Model No. 73 28 782 illustrate door locks for all-glass installations realized with one latch bolt and one dead bolt mechanism. Due to realization of both closing mechanisms, the design of these locks is large in size. Under aesthetic aspects, it is not really advantageous to utilize such a large construction type in all-glass installations. Moreover, these locks can not be universally mounted to a door and to a fixed side panel.
The object of the present invention is a further development of a door lock of the known art, which can be universally utilized and can be used for different purposes after minor modification. Furthermore, such type of door lock should be substantially easy to install.
The object of the invention is realized in a door lock, which door lock presents a first lock casing, which is arranged on one side of the all-glass door, and a second lock casing which is placed opposite to the first lock casing on the other side of the all-glass door. The latch bolt can be included in the first lock casing and the strike plate for a dead bolt can be included in the second lock casing. The door lock can comprise a first lock strike box and a second lock strike box, which are effectively connected to each other by means of a closing cylinder through a boring contained in the fixed side panel, whereby the dead bolt ready for locking action is supported in the lock strike box and the lock strike box contains a catch for the latch bolt. The additional features shown herein reflect further developments of the inventive idea. A door lock of the known art is therefore further developed in that both the lock casing as well as the lock strike box is separated. This means each side of the all-glass installation comprises respectively one lock casing and one lock strike box. In this case, the lock casings are linked to each other through a boring contained in the all-glass door and by means of a lever spindle passing through this boring and linking both lever handles to each other respectively on the all-glass door front and rear face. Likewise, the lock strike boxes are attached, however, in this case, by means of a connector passing through a boring in the fixed side panel at the height of and in alignment with the lock casings. A closing cylinder is inserted through the boring inside the fixed glass side panel and by the way or in this manner effectively connects both lock strike boxes to each other.
The lock casings and the lock strike boxes are designed such that, when respectively seen against each other, that is to say, from one first side to the other second side, they are substantially identically designed as to their geometrical dimensions. For this reason only two moulds are essentially required.
The latch bolt of the door lock can be comprised and/or contained in a first lock casing that is mounted on the side of the all-glass door to which the connected all-glass door opens via a hinge in a rotation point. One part of the lock casing protrudes past the vertical edge of the all-glass door. This protruding part contains the door lock""s latch bolt. The second lock casing provided on the opposite side of the all-glass door presents a recess with regard to the aforementioned vertical edge of the all-glass door. A strike plate with aperture can be arranged in this recess, into which aperture engages a dead bolt comprised in a lock strike box of the side panel. This opposite lock strike box also protrudes past the vertical edge of the fixed glass side panel, such that, in this protruding part, upon locking action by means of the closing cylinder, the dead bolt moves forward and engages in the strike plate of the second lock casing. On the opposite side of this lock strike box of the fixed all-glass side panel can be arranged on the other side a lock strike box having the same shape as the lock casing, which comprises the strike plate for the dead bolt. This lock strike box also recesses at its outer edge with regard to the edge of the vertical all-glass side panel, such that the protruding part of the first lock casing with the therein contained latch bolt partially overlaps the lock strike box. The latch bolt of the first lock casing can thereby engage into an aperture of the lock strike box arranged on the opposite side.
The above discussed embodiments of the present invention will be described further hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying figures. When the word xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d is used in this specification, the word xe2x80x9cinvention includesxe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cinventionsxe2x80x9d, that is, the plural of xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d. By stating xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d, the Applicants do not in any way admit that the present application does not include more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention, and maintains that this application may include more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention. The Applicants hereby assert that the disclosure of this application may include more than one invention, and, in the event that there is more than one invention, that these inventions may be patentable and non-obvious one with respect to the other.